Guwahati: Monday is going to be a historical day for the people of Assam and Northeast as a whole, as the maiden journey of the first Vande Bharat Express train from Assam, will be virtually flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The train will help to boost tourism in the region.
The Vande Bharat will travel from Assam's Guwahati to West Bengal's New Jalpaiguri Station.
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The Vande Bharat Express will cover the journey in about five-and-a-half hours, while the current fastest train takes around six-and-a-half hours to cover the same distance. The train will pass through Kamrup Metropolitan, Kamrup Rural, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Kokrajhar districts of Assam and Alipurduar, New Coochbehar and Jalpaiguri district of North Bengal.
The train will comprise of eight cars that can hold a maximum of 530 people. There will be one Executive Class, five Chair Car and two Driver Trail Coaches.
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Aside from the Vande Bharat Express, Prime Minister Modi will dedicate a 182 km route of the newly electrified section to help provide pollution-free transportation with trains running at higher speeds and shorter train runs.
He will also dedicate a newly built DEMU/MEMU shed in Lumding, Assam, which will aid in the maintenance of DEMU rakes operating in the region, leading to improved operational feasibility.
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The Indian Railways is currently running 34 services of the train, covering 21 states.
It has set a target of running at least one service in seven more states by June.